Welcome
Wem Town Council
Wem is a market town in north Shropshire, granted its market charter by King John in 1202 and known across the county as the home of the sweet pea. The town council is Wem's first tier of local government — this is where you'll find its meetings, minutes, finances and news.
Public notices
Agendas for every council meeting are published here at least three clear days before the meeting, alongside statutory notices such as the annual Notice of Public Rights. On the live site this panel is kept current by the clerk — email a notice and it is published the same day.
Latest news
A sample of the council's own news — kept current by the clerk on the live site.
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Town council precept increase explained
The council agreed an increase in its 2026/27 precept request — about 8% for a Band D home, roughly £1.41 a month — to help fund the Wem Swimming & Lifestyle Centre. The full figures are set out in the council's precept papers.
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Wem Sweet Pea Show returns
The town's annual Sweet Pea Show is held at Wem Town Hall, celebrating the flower that horticulturist Henry Eckford perfected here in the 1880s — the reason Wem is known as "the home of the sweet pea".
About the town
Wem has been a market town since 1202, when King John granted permission to hold a market, and a market is still held every Thursday. The town takes its Saxon name from Wamm, "a marsh", after the low-lying ground beside the River Roden. Its best-known claim is horticultural: Henry Eckford, a Scots gardener who settled in Wem in the 1880s, first cross-bred the modern sweet pea here, and the town celebrates that heritage each July with the Wem Sweet Pea Show.
Next council meeting
Thursday 30 July 20267.00pm, the Meeting Room, Wem Library, High Street, Wem. The council meets on the last Thursday of each month (except December) — everyone is welcome.